Legend John on Jan

Posted on 12 March 2015
- 10:00

Jan Vertonghen keeps getting better and better, according to former defender John Lacy.

Our Belgian international centre-half has provided the foundation from which our primarily young side has gone on to produce a string of high-octane performances in recent months - and has been a virtual ever-present in the back four of late.

In fact, the reliable 27-year-old has played every minute of every game since mid-December - aside from the 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Leicester City on January 24 - and has worked well alongside either Federico Fazio or Eric Dier at the heart of our back four.

A big admirer of Jan’s work, ex-player John - known among team-mates as ‘Blakey’ - is still regularly seen at the Lane on matchdays and has therefore witnessed first-hand just what the former Ajax man brings to the party.

“Jan is a fabulous player,” declared the former Fulham rearguard, who made 132 first team appearances for us between 1978 and 1983 and still plays for the Spurs Legends team.

“He was good last year and the year before and he’s been even better this time around. He’s settled into the team, he knows what’s required of him and he performs every week for us.

“In the last few months he’s been working up a good partnership with either Fazio or Eric Dier but, whoever plays with him, they both look very comfortable and we look very solid as a defensive unit.

“We shouldn’t forget he’s got a great goalkeeper behind him as well - it can only be of help to a defender to have someone like Hugo Lloris in the team.”